Has your toddler gone from eating everything that is offered to them, to rejecting food they’ve eaten plenty of times before? If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. This is a very normal phase in a child’s development. It usually happens any time from 18 months. For some children it lasts a short time, but for others much longer*.
Four things you can do:
1. Keep offering a variety of foods.
Remember you decide what and when food is offered, and your child decides what to eat from this and how much. Falling into a habit of only providing food your child will eat does not work for two reasons:
- they soon tire of that food or foods
- they aren’t being given opportunities to try new foods and increase their confidence around eating.
Children do have more sensitive taste buds and things that you may think taste the same are different to babies and children. For example, fresh fruits and vegetables differ between varieties and from season to season. Shape and texture can make a difference too. For example, curly pasta has a different mouth feel to spaghetti. Children may prefer a certain brand of food because it is processed the same way. Understanding this can help you approach this phase with compassion for both yourself and your child.
2. Think about fussy eating or food refusal as a normal part of development.
Keep your cool. Your child will get the message that you’re not fussed by their pickiness. Trust that they’ll eat that food again and try not to coax your child to eat. This is pressure and while your child may eat it to please you they may reject it next time. Read more about trust
3. Keep offering the ‘rejected’ foods.
Your child might tell you "Yuck! I don’t like this anymore" but rather than taking it off the menu completely, keep offering it regularly. Show that you enjoy it yourself. Over time, your child may learn to accept it again. One tip is to offer family style meals, so your child can pick and choose from the family food on offer.
- If your child starts eating that food again:
- Don’t make a big deal about it.
- If your child doesn’t learn to like that food again:
- It’s not the end of the world. Most of us have a few foods that we don’t like. We know pressuring doesn’t help. We can’t ‘make’ our child eat and that’s not our job. There are many reasons a child’s appetite and taste can vary for example, illness or mood.
4. Aim for progression not perfection.
Children learn all sorts of skills as they grow – how to walk, ride a bike, read and write. Learning how to eat takes time. Be patient and try not to compare them to other children. They’ll get there when they’re ready. Read more about helping your child become more adventurous with eating
Want some help
* This information is not intended to replace individual advice you may be receiving from your health professional. If you do have questions about your child’s nutrition, mealtime behaviour and growth and need some help please talk to your child health nurse or GP.